Canada.....hmmmm

The day started out fast. Montana has really, really straight roads. The biggest turns you find come from passing mini-vans and the few on and off ramps you ge to take. On highway 15, let's say, one slight lean every few miles in some parts. This makes high speed limits completely safe...unless a moose crosses in front of you. With that being said, we made it from Great Falls to the Canadian Border, (118 miles) in a little less than an hour and a half, (and there was at least one moose standing beside road). Riding into Canada, naturally, I didn't give the car in front of me ample room at the custom's sign, (in my defense I was following a motor home that had to be 30 feet long and 8-10 wide, it's like blinders for people) and got told (read as yelled) by the customs agent that I should learn to read signs. I suppose they teach that in college sometime.

So we made it into Canada, riding the same straight roads, only this time the speeds were in kilometers, and they were much slower. From my experience, it seems like Canadian authority figures think all people from the US are loud, obnoxious, self-possessed excuses for human beings (the above was not the first time we have had problems with Canadian police "mounties"). We aren't. Everyone else we've met in Canada, on previous trips as well, has been exceptionally kind and helpful. We'll just have to hope the police's attitude isn't contagious.

From the border we rode to Lethbridge, Alberta where we stopped for lunch, and figured out which route we would take to Calgary. Passing ponds still clinging to the ice that bordered their shores we seemed to have a black cloud (literally) that followed our path, giving us occasional cold raid, and what seemed to be permanent shadow. Riding through Calgary we made it to Blackfoot Motorrad, the single largest motorcycle dealership either of us has ever seen. Jeff showed dad the new System 6 BMW helmet, Snell approved, but interestingly enough not DOT, and therefore recommended by BMW not to be sold to US citizens.

We skipping around Calgary looking for gas, and then pointed towards Banff National Park. After about 25 miles we saw the tips of snow covered mountains begin to peak out of the horizon to our left, and before we knew it mountains just rose out of the plain, extending up into white capped rocks thousands of feet in the air. It was one of the most beautiful natural sights I think I've ever seen. Hopefully I'll have a few decent pictures to share tomorrow night. We stopped at the first place to eat on Canada 1, a casino about 60 km out. Crossing into the park I discovered yet again the hospitality of those Canadians given power, when the ranger (or whatever they call them here) told me angrily that he wasn't from America, even though he had already admitted he was from Canada. Now I'm no map maker, but it doesn't take a genius to realize that "Canada" is still part of North America! Wow! I just rode on, let him live in his own angry ignorance.

Once we made it into the valley that is Banff, the sun had set, and the cheapest place in town was a hostel which was going to charge us $87.00 for two beds in a room with four other people. The Homestead Inn was only $10.00 more, and the room's private. So now I lay down, for at least a short time, hoping to get up for some early morning pictures before we head past Lake Louise and onto the ALCAN highway!

Zack